Apparatus for crinkling yarn



Nov. 12, 1957 LAWSON ET AL 2,812,569

APPARATUS FOR CRINKLING YARN 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 8, 1954 INVENTOI/RS ROBERT H; LAWSQN g sTANLEY R. SHELMIRE ATTORNEYS 1957 'R. H. LAWSON ETAL 2,812,569

APPARATUS FOR CRINKLING YARN Filed Oct. 8, 1954 3 Sheets*Sheet 2 s4 F 1 J l FIG. u.

FIG; 3.

INVENTORS ROB R AWSO G STANLEY R. SHELMIRE ET H L N B Y m z divm ATTQRuEYs Nov. 12, 1957 Filed Oct. 8, 1954 R. H. LAWSON ET AL APPARATUS FOR CRINKLING YARN FIG. 6.

F'iG. 7;

FQG. 8.

FIG. 4.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 12.

INVENTORS ROBERT H. LAWSON STANLEY R. SHELMIRE ATTORNE 2,812,569 APPARATUS FOR CRINKLING YARN Robert H. Lawson and Stanley. R; Shelmire; Laco'nia;

N. H., assignors to- Scott & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. H., a corporation'of Massachusetts Application October 8, '1954, Serial"No:46"1,232-" 12 Claims. 1 (Cl.-28,-1)-

This invention relates to methods and"apparatusfor-tlie crinkli ngof'nylon or similar yarns particularly'forthef provision of hosiery in accordance with the'disclos'ureof' FranlcR. Page Patent 2,601,451, dated'JuneQ l, 1952.

As "disclosed in said-Page patent, substantial advaiitages result from'the utilization of crinklednylon' or'simila'r yarn-in'th'e knitting of sheer ladies hosiery." Various yarn crinkling procedures may be'used in accordance with the-disclosure ofsaid patent, for-example, the"'proce'aduref of" knitting the yarn into tubes 'followedbythesettingof permanent crinkles in the yarn by the applicationof heat to-the tubes;- and then the subsequent ravellingmfth'e ya'rnto produce a yarnsupplysuitable fbr knittingin ac cordan'ce with the patent, or, alternatively, andasfdescribed in said patent (column 3; lines 41'to"6 0') by providing intermeshing heated elements in -the term of pins and sinkers to impart zig'zagconfigurations to yarns.-

It is the general object of the present "inventionto provide" methods and apparatus to facilitatethe-crinklingof nylonor similar yarn in large quantitiesan'd-atrapid ratsb Brieflypin accordance with' the p're'sent inventio'n; the*o'rig-. inal straight nylon-or similar-"yarn is' fed;- inthe eneralfashion described in I said patent, to a niachine resembling a'k'nittin'g machine and is crinkled ther'ei'n witlfout bei knit while subject to a sufiicient period -of applic atioii of heat which will sufiiceto soften the yarmand 'piovide' therein','- on cooling, permanent" crinkles?- The n'ieh nisrr'i' utilizedfor this'purposemay} in fact'fbe reconstiiict ed-fiom a conventional knitting" a'chine" thdu' h it dtle's not'accomplish knitting'; Rather, itembodi men the' for'm of"sliders"replacing neetiles together m fied"s'inkers which cooperate th ew'tilfito'pfbvide'cri kling'.-= Additionally, heating-nieaus is added} whi e many? of theconventional' parts of a knitting 3 machine niay 'be omitted} Cains of the typesgt'arierally'His'ed (Sr-moving needles and sinkersare" used in the-mach the sliders'and the substitutes tor tlie sm'k ers. proved over what is 'described in' the patent isprovidd -1n' accordance W'iththe invention? Themachine in accordance withithe invenaen rnaycrinkle a plurality of yarnssimultaneouslywhileto each" there is imparte'd the required h'e'at tb prbducetlie ultimate setting of the crinkles} An efiicieiit meeh-tiriisni"-*is'*thiis provided. v X I The foregoing an dother object's' of the invehtio'ii' particularly to'details of construction and become apparentfjrem' thefollowirigdesei'i conjunction with the accompanying drawin in'wliicli':

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevationsh wing'jthe' en eral assembly of-dev'ices involved'in cari' 'yin'gloutia prefer'r'eder'nbodiment of the invention; I v

Figure 2is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the cooperationrof the variousparts of-the crinklingmecha-- m; v a

Figure 3 is-adiagrammatic-elevation illustrativeof'the' same matter;

Figures 410 8 ,-*inclu sive," are fragmentary elevations,

2,812,569 Patented Nov. 12, 1957 2 p'artlyin section, showing successive interrelated positions of th'ecrinkling elements;

V Figure 9 isa diagrammaticelevation' showin'g'tlieham dli'ng-ofyarns for the production of multiple'crinkl'es" thereinarr'anged in three dimensions;

Fi'g'ure' 10' is a fragmentary elevation illustrative 'of tli operations involvedin Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a view-on a smaller scale toshow various" cam actions involved-in Figure 9; and a Figure 12 is a perspective view showing a fragmen'fof" a yai ncrinkled in accordance with what is=illustratedin Figures-9 to 11. a

Referring first'to Figure 1, there is indi'c'ated at' fa preferred form of'crinkling machine which'is-cons'ti'tuted essentially by a stripped down 'and modified coriventional knitting machine. Thismachine is desirably -of the' type used'- for knitting large tubes such'as usedin the formation" of' unde'rwea'r; or*the like; such machin'e being used-" pri marilybecauseof its large circumference "which i ac'- cordanceiwith thepre'sentinventionprovides ample line of application of heat 1 to the yarn being crinkled? For" this application'of heat, the-cylinder of'the machine is surroundedby a housing"4; which may constitute impart the cam ring of the machine; in which there -is' located an elecfrical=heating element 6 'supplied'witH current -controlled-by a thermostat 8-toprevent overheating; Heatis thus applied to elements hereafter referred tofas:sliders' and sinkers by conduction' 'and through" them; as well as by radiationg toyarn's being crinkled; In" the"production: of crinkles it" is necessary toprovide heating QffthFe-Zyarri? te -"attain a 'temperature" above its softening *point:. 's-o'Ithat the --yarn on 'cooling -will -retain the crinkles imparte'd'imee chanieallythereto; Nylonand-"similar yarnsto whichzthe invention==is applicable are thermoplastic in nature and-=- retain, Orr-cooling; suchshape as may-beimpartedthereto: when theintemp'eratures are abOVe their respective soften in-g-points.- This phenomenon of setting yarnaintodefinite shapes is Well known and-is utilized -inthe-commonprac tice ofpreboardingapplied to nylon'knit: articles-to set the stitches therein. 7

The rotary cylinder of the machine'2 is-drivenbyaa motor 10- whichalso furnishes-the drive for a:- winder; 12aof conventional type wherein the crinkledryam: is' wound upon cones 14.- The synchronizationof the-*knit tingemachine and winder by the'commonurivewmakess possible the relative setting-0f speedsso that'theicrinkleda yarn is not unduly stretched before it has: been cooled; tovsuch temperature as will insure the-maintenance0t -v the crinkles imparted thereto. In other words, the.crinkledyarn must not be stretched while .stillaboveitssoftening: temperature;.be1ow that temperature stretching willsnot-n remove the crinkles. V

The straight nylon or-similar yarn isfedtto themachine: from supply cones 16 mountedthereon-b Reference may now be made particularly-to Figurea4- which shows the elements directly acting .upon the :yarn: to impartcrinkles thereto. Within the usual needle slots" intli machine cylinder 18 there are slidably mounted the; elements 22 whichowill behereafter referredtoas sliders. Within the conventionalsinkerring 20 such as is usedlin a 'knitting machine there are mounted presser elements 24in place ofthe' conventional sink 'ersr For: convenience.

these" elements 24 will be referredIto as si-nkers. The sinkei's'24 are provided'with' butts 26 which'are acted. upon by. cams 2 8 carriedby'the conventional sinker cap 301 Radial movements are thereby imparted to the sinkers.

machine: It may-be remarked th'at'a'macliirie-of tliet'ype I; indicated-tat 'z when u'sed'fforknitting is g'enerallyprovide'd' with a'number of feeds of yarn. in the machine as modified for present purposes, feed occurs only at one point in the circumference.

in the first modification now being described, the sliders 22 are provided with straight edges 36 at their upper ends for cooperating with the yarns. Each of the sinkers 24 has an upper extension 38 provided with a number of notches 40 corresponding to the number of yarns being simultaneously crinkled. For simplicity of disclosure, it will be assumed that three yarns are being simultaneously crinkled, with the understanding, however, that a considerably larger number of yarns may be simultaneously crinkled.

The yarns to be crinkled are fed through a feed guide 42 which may be provided with a number of eyes corresponding to the yarns fed. The eyes are so positioned vertically as to feed the yarns at the individual levels of the sinker notches 40. At approximately the location where he feeder 42 is provided. a cam 44 causes the sliders 22 to rise byengagement of their butts 32 to cause.

them to rise successively to the location indicated at 46. Where the sinkers pass the feeder 42, they are retracted as indicated at 48 so that their extensions 38 pass radially outside the feeder 42. Afterpassing the feeder, the earns 28 serve to mo e the sinkers inwardly until at about the position indicated at 50 in Figure 2 the sinkers occupy the radial. position illustra ed in Figure 4. At this phase of the operation. the sliders 22 are still being raised by cam 44. neither the sliders nor the sinkers at this point eng ging the yarns.

The sliders 22 continue the rise and the sinkers 24 continue .to move inwardly, reaching the relative positions illustrated in Figure 5 at the location indicated at 52in Figure 2. The rise of the slider 22 to the position at 46 has now been completed and the yarns are substantially in contact. because of their tangential approach with the edge 36 of the slider in the position 52. The yarns are also about to be engaged by the sinker, being disposed in radial alignment with the notches 40 therein. The sliders retain the height. which is indicated at 54, throughout the maior part of their revolution.

Beyond the position 52 the sinkers move further inwardly causing the troughs of the notches 40 to move substantially radially inwardly of the slider edges 36, the sinkers ultimately attaining innermost radial positions indicated at 56 and illustrated in Figure 6. In this position, the yarns have zig-Zag configurations imparted thereto and these configurations are then maintained throughout the major portion of a revolution. The yarns insuch condition are then heated by the application of heat from the heating element 6 and are raised to a temperature of softening of their material. The thermostat 8 may be set to control the current through the heating element to secure within narrow control limits the particular temperatures which may be required of the type of. yarn which is being crinkled. By reason of the large circumference of the machine, the application of heat is maintained through a sufficient time period to insure the proper heating of the yarns despite a high rateof circumferential speed of the cylinder. The consequence is the throughput ofa large quantity of yarn per unit.time..

As the point of yarn removal is reached, which point is adiacent to that of feed, the sinker-s 24 are partially withdrawn as indicated at 58 and as illustrated in Figure 7. This withdrawal is desirably such that the inner edge of the extension 38 of the sinker-continues to overlap the edges 36 of the sliders so that the yarns are not free to move vertically. However, the tension on the yarnsis substantially reduced with the result that the sliders may be freely drawn downwardly by cam 60 to clear the yarns, without pulling thereon, in the position illustrated in Figure 8.

As the sliders 22 move downwardly the yarns are successively released and pass through individual eyes ina take-off guide 62, passing from this guide to the reeling mechanism 12. In the drawing off of the yarns little tension is imparted thereto, and despite the fact that at the instant of removal they may be at a temperature at which they are softened, there is not sufficient tension imparted to pull them to a straight condition and, thus, remove the crinkles. Desirably, however, they are rapidly cooled at the time of removal and for this purpose there is provided one or more nozzles 64 to direct a stream of cold air thereon to promote rapid cooling below the softening temperature. The procedure described imparts crinkles to the yarn and desirably these crinkles are so spaced along the yarn by choice of the indexing of the sliders and sinkers that there are avoided the conditions which might give rise to a synchronous repetition of crinkles and ultimate knitted loops as described as desirably avoided in said F. R. Page patent. The crinkles provided in accordance with the above are formed essentially in a single plane in each of the yarns, and have a more or less sinusoidal form. A greater irregularity of crinkling may be provided by causing the crinkles to be essentially threedimensional, and this situation may be attained by the use of the apparatus and procedure which will now be described with reference to Figures 9 to 12, inclusive.

In'accordance with this second procedure, there are used the same sinkers 2% as previously described and these and their structural parts are accordingly given the same reference numerals. The sliders, however, are somewhat different and are of two types indicated at 82 and 84, respectively. Both sets of these sliders are provided with the same upper edge constructions and, in accordance with this modification, the upper edges, instead of being straight as was indicated at 36, are provided with shallow notches indicated at 98 which are spaced the same. as the notches 40 of the sinkers as indicated in Figure 10 and are in alignment therewith at the time the yarns are first received.

The sliders 82 are illustrated as relatively short in Figure 11 and are provided with butts 86 at an upper level arranged to travel in a cam race 90. The sliders 84, on the other hand, are longer and are provided with butts 88 arranged to operate in a cam race 92. For the major part,

i these cam races 90 and 92 are identical and have the same characteristic as the cam race 34 previously described, being provided at the region of feed and removal of the yarns with depressing and raising cam portions corresponding to 60 and 44. However, immediately following the position where the yarns are first engaged, the

races and 92 are provided with a rise 94 and a fall 96, respectively, so that by reason of the shallow notches 98 in cooperation with the sinker notches 40 the sliders 82 are displaced slightly upwardly and the sliders 86 are displaced slightly downwardly. These slight relative displacements produce a configuration of the yarn which is indicated generally in Figure 9 but is clearer from the fragmentary perspective view, Figure 12, which shows enlarged the multiple types of crinkles put into a yarnby this action. An upward crinkle 100 results from the rise of a slider 82, while a downward crinkle 104 results from the depression ofia slider 84. An intermediate lateral crinkle 102 is produced by the movement of an interposed sinker 24. 'The crinkle configuration, therefore, as illustrated in Figure 12 is of athree-dimensional type which tends even further to prevent the appearance of any repetitive regions in a completed stocking. It will be evident that except for these additional movements of the sliders the steps involved in carrying out this modification are identical with those involved in the first modification 'sinker notches 40 as indicated in the right-hand portion of Figure 9. g

It will be evident from the foregoing that methods and formation of the permanentcrinkles requiied-for the carrying out of the knitting ofstockingsin accordance-with:

said'F." R. ,Page patent. It willbe evidentthat'various details of constructions and operations may be changed without departing from the invention as definedinthefor axial movements relatively thereto, a carrier rotating.

with said cylinder, presser elements mounted. in said car? rier and radially movable relatively thereto-,.tsaidsliders.

presenting outwardly facing surfaces and saidpresser elements presenting inwardly facing surfaces, means for feeding at least one yarn approximately tangentially. between said'surfac'es of the sliders and presser elements, means for moving said presser elements radially inwardly to cause radial overlapping of said surfaces, thereby to impart zigzag configuration to said yarn, means for impartingsoftening'heat to said yarn while it'has said'zigzag'configuration, means for moving said presser elements radially out wardly to relieve pressure on said yarn, means formoving said sliders axially to clear said yarn, means guidingthe cleared yarn inwardly towards the axis of rotation, and means for 'Winding said yarn, the last mentioned meansbeing synchronized with the rotation of said cylinder to preventapplication of straightening tension to said yarn.

2. Apparatus for crinkling nylon or similar yarn comprising a rotary cylinder, sliders mounted in said cylinder for axial movements relatively thereto, a carrier rotating, with said cylinder, presser elements mounted in said. carrier and radially movable relatively thereto, said sliders presenting outwardly facing surfacesvandsaid presser elements presenting inwardly facing surfaces, means forfeeding atleast one yarn approximately tangentially between said surfaces of the. sliders andpresser elements, means for moving said p'resserelements radially inwardly to causeradial overlapping of said surfaces," thereby to irnpart zigzag? configuration to saidyarng means for "-imparting softenin heat-tosaid-yarnwhile-it has -said-"zigzag configuration, means for moving said presser elements radially outwardly to relieve pressure on said yarn, means for moving said sliders axially to clear said yarn, and means guiding the cleared yarn inwardly towards the axis of rotation.

3. Apparatus for crinkling nylon or similar yarn comprising a rotary cylinder, sliders mounted in said cylinder for axial movements relatively thereto, a carrier rotating with said cylinder, presser elements mounted in said carrier and radially movable relatively thereto, said sliders presenting outwardly facing surfaces and said presser elements presenting inwardly facing surfaces, means for feeding a plurality of yarns approximately tangentially between said surfaces of the sliders and presser elements, means for moving said presser elements radially inwardly to cause radial overlapping of said surfaces, thereby to impart zigzag configurations to said yarns, means for imparting softening heat to said yarns while they have said zigzag configurations, means for moving said presser elements radially outwardly to relieve pressure on said yarns, means for moving said sliders axially to clear said yarns, means guiding the cleared yarns inwardly towards the axis of rotation, and means for winding said yarns, the last mentioned means being synchronized with the rotation of said cylinder to prevent application of straightening tension to said yarns.

4. Apparatus for crinkling nylon or similar yarn comprising a rotary cylinder, sliders mounted in said cylinder for axial movements relatively thereto, a carrier rotating with said cylinder, presser elements mounted in said carrier and radially movable relatively thereto, said shders presenting outwardly facing surfaces and said presser elements presenting inwardly facing surfaces, means for a '6 feeding a plurality of yarns approximately?tangentially=be r tween said surfaces of the sliders andpresser elements; means for moving said presser elements radially inward-x 1y to cause radial overlapping of said surfaces, thereby to impart zigzag configurations to said yarns, means for" imparting softening heat to said yarnswhile-they have said zigzagconfigurations, means for moving said pres'se'r elements radially outwardly to relieve pressure on said: yarns, means for moving said sliders axially to clear said yarns, and means guiding the cleared yarns inwardly towards the axis of rotation.

5. Apparatus for crinkling nylon or similar yarn com prising means providing an inner circular array of spaced members presenting outwardly facing surfaces, means providing an outer circular array of spaced elements presenting inwardly facing surfaces, yarnfeeding means, means providing relative rotation between said yarn feeding; means and said arrays of members and elements, and yarn feeding means being arrangedto feed at least one yarn be-v tween the surfaces of said members and elements, means for effecting relative radial movements and also relative axial'movements between said members and elements to produce overlapping of their said surfaces to impart a zigzag'configuration to said yarn, means for imparting softening heat to said yarn while it has said zigzag configuration, and means for removing the yarn from the region of said surfaces.

6. Apparatus for crinkling nylon or similar yarn comprising means providing an inner circular array of spaced members presenting outwardly facing surfaces, means pro viding an outer circular array of spaced elements present ing inwardly facing surfaces, said surfaces being notched, yarn feeding means, meansproviding relative rotation between'said yarn feeding means andsaid arrays of memsaid members and elements, means for effecting relative radial movements and also relative axial movements be tween said members and elements to produce overlapping of their said surfaces to entrap said yarn in notches in said surfaces, and to impart a zigzag configuration to said yarn,'-rneans for imparting softening heat to said yarn while it has said zigzag configuration, and means for removing the yarn from the region of said surfaces.

7. Apparatus for crinkling nylon or similar yarn comprising means providing an inner circular array of spaced members presenting outwardly facing surfaces, means providing an outer circular array of spaced elements presenting inwardly facing surfaces, yarn feeding means, means providing relative rotation between said yarn feeding means and said arrays of members and elements, said yarn feeding means being arranged to feed a plurality of yarns between the surfaces of said members and elements, means for effecting relative radial movements and also relative axial movements between said members and elements to produce overlapping of their said surfaces to impart zigzag configurations to said yarns, means for imparting softening heat to said yarns while they have said zigzag configurations, and means for removing the yarns from the region of said surfaces.

8. Apparatus for crinkling nylon or similar yarn comprising means providing an inner circular array of spaced members presenting outwardly facing surfaces, means providing an outer circular array of spaced elements presenting inwardly facing surfaces, said surfaces being notched, yarn feeding means, means providing relative rotation between said yarn feeding means and said arrays of members and elements, said yarn feeding means being arranged to feed a plurality of yarns between the surfaces of said members and elements, means for effecting relative radial movements and also relative axial movements between said members and elements to produce overlapping of their said surfaces to entrap said yarns in notches in said surfaces, and to impart zigz-agconfigurations to said yarns, means for imparting softening heat to said 7 yarns while they have said zigzag configurations, and means for removing the yarns from the region of said surfaces.

9. Apparatus for crinkling nylon or similar yarn comprising means providing an inner circular array of spaced members presenting outwardly facing surfaces, means providing an outer circular array of spaced elements presenting inwardly facing surfaces, yarn feeding means, means providing relative rotation between said yarn feeding means and said arrays of members and elements, said yarn feeding means being arranged'to feed at least one yarn between the surfaces of said members and elements, means for effecting relative radial movements and also relative axial movements between said members and elemerits and relative axial movements between adjacent members to produce overlapping of, their said surfaces to impart a zigzag three dimensional configuration to said yarn, means for imparting softening heat to said yarn while it has said zigzag configuration, and means for removing the yarn from the region of said surfaces.

10. Apparatus for crinkling nylon or similar yarn comprising means providing an inner circular array of spaced members presenting outwardly facing surfaces, means providing an outer circular array of spaced elements presenting inwardly facing surfaces, said surfaces being notched,

yarn feeding means, means providing relative rotation between said yarn feeding means and said arrays of members and elements, said yarn feeding means being arranged to feed at least one yarn between the surfaces of said members and elements, means for effecting relative radial movements and also relative axial movements between said members aud elements and relative axial movements between adjacent members to produce overlapping of their said surfaces to entrap said yarn in notches in said surfaces, and to impart a three dimensional zigzag configuration to said yarn, means for imparting softening heat to said yarn while it has said zigzag configuration, and means for removing the yarn from the region of said surfaces.

11. Apparatus for crinkling nylon and similar yarn comprising means providing an inner circular array of spaced members presenting outwardly facing surfaces,

' yarn feeding means and said arrays of members and elements, said yarn feeding means being arranged to feed a plurality of yarns between the surfaces of said members and elements, means for effecting relative radial movements and also relative axial movements between said members and elements and relative axial movements between adjacent members to produce overlapping of their said surfaces to impart three dimensional zigzag configurations to said yarns, means for imparting softening heat to said yarns while they have said zigzag configurations, and means for removing the yarns from the region of said surfaces.

12. Apparatus for crinkling nylon or similar yarn comprising means providing an inner circular array of spaced members presenting outwardly facing surfaces, means providing an outer circular array of spaced elements presenting inwardly facing surfaces, said surfaces being notched, yarn feeding means, means providing relative rotation between said yarn feeding means and said arrays of members and elements, said yarn feeding means being arranged to feed a plurality of yarns between the surfaces of said members and elements, means for effecting relative radial movements and also relative axial movements between said members and elements and relative axial movements between adjacent members to produce overlapping of their said surfaces to entrap said yarns in notches in said surfaces, and to impart three dimensional zigzag configurations to said yarns, means for imparting softening heat to said yarns while they have said zigzag configurations, and means for removing the yarns from the region of said surfaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,320,989 Weinberg June 8, 1943 2,601,451 Page M June 24, 1952 2,696,034 Swartz Dec. 7 1954 

